Fantasy Noir

I think you'd do better asking which you'd prefer to write. Writing what you love is always going to give you a far superior final product than if you try to fit your work to others' whims.

If you write it well, everything can work. So I support Jim, above.

"Fantasy Noir"? The two extreme poles you mention do not support the architecture of what is currently fantasy noir.

"Finch" by Jeff VanderMeer is the best work of Art that fantasy noir has yet produced, and it's extremely entertaining, too. "The Sword-Edged Blonde" by Alex Bledsoe is at the other end of the spectrum, lighter and more fun.

I suggest that building your world either light or dark should be decided by the story you wish to tell.

Form follows function. And, don't think in terms of "grit". Think in terms of "depth". Grit is a poor man's depth, where characters have soul because they're so bloody tormented, not because they have genuine emotional cores. Depth is what you really want. How deep do you want your characters? Then, you know how deep you want your world.

Best of luck.

There are also the "Guards" novels from the Disworld series...

And don't forget the Garrett, P.I. novels by Glen Cook

The "urban" fantasy (I don't know how to categorize it other than "urban") Bone Song by John Meaney. Pretty dark, mainly because of its very neat metaphysics, where an advanced civilization is entirely powered by the recently released life force of dead people.

I remember a scene from it or its followup, where a car is driving on the shoulder of a road and the gravel is snapping and popping under its tires, but it isn't gravel. It's knucklebones.

http://www.sffworld.com/brevoff/354.html

I'd recommend reading the Owen Archer mysteries by Candace Robb. They're not fantasy, just medieval historical, but they're about a soldier who essentially acts as your 'detective sleuth', solving murder mysteries in a medieval setting.

Just Add Magic! ^_^

CalGrave said:

I'm talking your typical sword and sorcery medical world.

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Typical? Are there many sword and sorcery novels set in hospitals?

I personally like the idea of taking the fairy and princess world and just sliding the setting off camera, like all that Disney crap is up town and downtown the same setting is different, darker and harsher. Sort of the medieval or pseudo medieval fantasy world equivalent of Roger Rabbit's toontown. Maybe just me.